Alpana village "Tikoil", Chapainawabganj

I think travel means more than just mountains, seas and waterfalls. Getting to know the art culture of any part of the world very closely is also a part of the trip.

Tikoil is a small village in Nachol upazila of Chapainawabganj district. And every wall of Tikoil village is like an open canvas. On that canvas, the people of Tikoil village painted all the aesthetics. Therefore, the village has become known as Alpona Village (The Alpona Village / A village of alpona) to many people from home and abroad.

Alpanas are mainly drawn by village housewives and girls Over the years, they have nurtured their heritage on the walls of the house for generations. The walls of every house made of mud become colorful with the brush strokes and even the kitchen is not left out from the touch of Alpana. Alpana is painted in clay pots with their own paint and the main raw material for painting Alpana comes from clay.

Do we know the self-sacrifice behind Tikoil's Alpana? The art-minded housewives and girls here save money on puja shopping and save money on two meals a day and spend it on paint. At one time chalk, clay, paint and turpentine oil were used to draw these alpana. But the durability of those alpana was less, so now the alpana is painted by soaking the mixture made of girimati, dried plum powder glue, old mango seed pulp, chalk powder, different colors, manakchu and banana tree husk for 4 to 5 days. And this Alpana has lasted for more than a year.

The locals believe that these alpana bring holiness to the house and keep all the members of the family happy. However, the villagers have no idea how such a tradition was born in the village of Tikoil. Yet he continues to preserve the ancestral tradition in various festivals, festivities and joyous occasions. We should keep the art of these art-minded people alive.